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VonVivian Werg
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Around six million people in Germany suffer from osteoporosis. Lifestyle and diet have a major impact on bone health.
Frankfurt – The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies osteoporosis, also known as bone loss, as one of the ten most common diseases. This is a skeletal disease in which the bone substance is increasingly broken down. The bones lose more and more strength, are unstable and brittle.
Osteoporosis usually occurs in old age. There is a difference between the sexes: Like that MSD Manual informed, women have a significantly higher risk of developing osteoporosis than men. One of the main reasons is the lack of the sex hormone estrogen, which protects the bones. During menopause, this hormone decreases significantly. Regular exercise and muscle training are important measures to prevent osteoporosis. But even a cheap diet can help to strengthen the bones and prevent osteoporosis.
About every third woman following the menopause and every fifth older man suffer from bone loss.
© Christin Klose/ dpa
Osteoporosis: A bone-strengthening diet can help prevent bone loss
A reduction in bone substance is a natural process in old age, but this is accelerated in the case of osteoporosis. In addition to a lot of exercise, a diet rich in calcium and vitamins is crucial to strengthen and protect the bones. The Clinic for Nutritional Medicine at the Technical University of Munich recommends the following foods to prevent osteoporosis:
- Calcium rich diet: The body needs many nutrients. A lack of supply harms him. Therefore, an adequate supply of nutrients is important to achieve maximum bone density. For prevention, adults should consume 1200 to 1500 milligrams daily with food. Low-fat milk and dairy products as well as calcium-rich vegetables such as broccoli, fennel, kale and leeks are good sources of calcium at any age.
- Also rich in calcium Mineral water ensures adequate calcium intake. Alcoholic beverages should be avoided if possible. Because: Regular consumption of alcohol impairs the vitamin D metabolism on the one hand and has a negative effect on the bone-building cells on the other.
- Vitamin D intake: Vitamin D improves the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. At the same time, the body needs it to absorb calcium through the intestines and build it into the bones. High-fat sea fish such as herring, salmon, halibut, sardines and tuna are preferable because of the higher vitamin D content.
- Vitamin K plays an active role in the development of bone strength. Cabbage and green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, lamb’s lettuce, rocket, fennel and parsley are good sources of vitamin K. In general, vitamin K is extremely important for health. A vitamin K deficiency should be avoided at all costs.
Another important risk factor in the development of osteoporosis is body weight. Too low body weight (underweight) is associated with reduced bone density and thus increases the risk of bone fractures. In addition, doctors warn once morest so-called calcium thieves: These are primarily alcohol, table salt, foods with a high phosphate content such as sausage, meat, processed cheese and convenience products, fiber and foods with a lot of oxalic acid such as spinach, chard, beetroot or rhubarb.
Build muscle mass: sports that give you a toned body
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Preventing Osteoporosis: Bone-Friendly Lifestyle and Healthy Diet
Bone quality deteriorates over time due to age. It is therefore all the more important to live a bone-friendly lifestyle from a young age and to eat a varied, calcium-rich diet.
Bone-stressing sports such as strength training, hiking and climbing are recommended. This puts more stress on the bones and strengthens the muscles.
Editor’s note:
The information given in this article does not replace a visit to a doctor. Only experts can make the right diagnosis and initiate appropriate therapy. The intake of medication or dietary supplements should be discussed with a doctor beforehand.
With the two measures mentioned, you can already build up enough bone substance at a young age and thus keep the loss of bone mass within natural limits with increasing age. (Vivian Werg)
List of rubrics: © Christin Klose/ dpa